Regenerative Medicine

Stem cell therapy for foot and ankle conditions

Stem cell therapy is one of several amazing medical technologies which use the healing power of ones own body to repair certain foot and ankle conditions.

Foot and ankle injuries are a problem that has a number of causes, including sports injuries, accidents, overuse, heredity or simply a part of the body’s aging process.

These regenerative treatments, especially making use of stem cells are among the most significant advances in the history of podiatric medicine.

Our physicians have decades of combined experience using regenerative medicine and internationally recognized experts in its use to treat foot and ankle conditions.

How Does Stem Cell Therapy Work?

State-of-the-art medical treatments such as Stem Cell Therapy, Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) or Prolotherapy have become fantastic non-surgical options for University Foot and Ankle Institute's patients suffering from a number of painful foot and ankle conditions.

The procedure is virtually pain-free as our doctors first acquire some of the patient’s own stem cells by collecting a blood sample from a selected part of the body. The procedure allows our doctors to customize the stem cell specimens for your particular injury.

This blood contains a very high concentration of stem cells and using a special procedure, unhelpful cells are removed, leaving only the powerful healing “stem cells.”

The patient's own stem cells are then injected into the injured area of the foot or ankle, where they almost immediately begin to multiply and flourish. Stem cells have been found to replicate themselves and nearby cells begin to mimic them making healing possible and producing an anti-inflammatory effect that can help reduce pain. Additionally, stem cells injections contain hyaluronic acid, which lubricates joints and tendons, easing pain and helping restore mobility. The University Foot and Ankle Institute stem cell treatment is well tolerated, many patients claim it is not painful at all.

What Are Amniotic Stem Cells?

Derived from the placental tissue of healthy donors after live elective Cesarean Delivery, Amniotic Stem Cells are formed from the same blastocyst that form the human fetus and Maternal placenta. Furthermore, Amniotic Stem Cells have a remarkable ability to form into many different types of cells. They act as an ‘internal repair center,’ dividing endlessly to replenish other cells. After dividing, the stem cell will do one of two things: Become another stem cell or become another type of needed specialized cell (muscle, skin, blood, brain, etc). Stem cells are the building blocks that allow us to go from a single cell organism into a complex multicellular unit.

Amniotic fluid is a highly concentrated source of stem cells. This makes it preferable over embryonic stem cells and the patient’s own stem cells (from fat or bone marrow).

Is Stem Cell Therapy Right for You?

At Michfoot Surgeons we firmly believe most conditions should initially be treated non-surgically and with minimally invasive techniques. These “conservative treatments” typically deliver excellent results over 80% of the time. This conservative care approach is also considered the most cost-effective for the patient as well.